Land of Opportunity
by burnthefleet
Summary: Three months into the reign of Queen Elsa, the Kingdom of Arendelle has fallen to pieces. Starvation, rebellious factions, and foreign threats plague the withering kingdom. In the midst of this discord comes an invitation: stay two weeks in America, and gain the support needed to end the crisis. Little does the royal family know the dangers that will follow them to the New World.
1. Prologue

Notes: This story was meant to be an examination of the actual political situation in Arendelle. It assumes that the events of the film, the _Vinterkrise_ (Winter Crisis), happened around June of 1845. It also places Arendelle, the Southern Isles, and Weselton on the actual map, as Norway, Denmark and Sweden respectively.

PROLOGUE

OCTOBER 6, 1845

James K. Polk groaned to himself as he pored over _another_ report on the Oregon Territory. He was only six months into his presidency, and already his own party had betrayed him on this. "Fifty Four Forty or Fight" was chanted in town halls from Bangor to Savannah. If he couldn't break the negotiations in his favor, war with Britain seemed practically inevitable. _All the more reason to make sure this is a success_.

His ace in the hole might be on the way. The ship was due in at noon, and it was already 11:00. If the visit went well, his presidency could gain the foreign support it needed to soar to unfathomable heights. If it went poorly...he shuddered to think of the costs of another war with the United Kingdom. They would be steep.

James glanced back at the cover of the Evening Post. The newspapers had been crazy about the visit. Aside from the obvious reasons, it was the first foreign visit that President Polk had hosted, and most people could understand the implications.

He discarded the report and glanced over the next one. Mexico was upset about the Texas annexation. They'd just have to wait. James knew that the British, and the hawks that had put him in the Oval Office posed a much greater threat to his country.

His aide entered the room before he could pick up his pen. "Mr. President, the ship has entered the Potomac. She'll be in harbor by 11:30"

"Ready the carriage. I'll meet them at the docks"

He had to.

The fate of two nations hung in the balance.


	2. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

Cpl. Alan Meggette of the United States Marine Corps stood at attention on the docks. He had been specially selected by his commanding officers to serve on the honor guard for the foreign delegation. The President wanted it to be perfect, and so it would be. The blue uniforms practically glowed in the sunlight, as crisp as the formation of the men wearing them. Cpl. Meggette gripped the bottom of his Springfield Model 1842. His palms were sweating with anticipation. Everyone was anxious to see the ship land.

The Presidential carriage had arrived ten minutes ago, and President Polk leaned against it, nervously watching the ship come in. The gangplank lowered, and the ships passengers began to disembark. First were the plethora of diplomats, scurrying like squirrels across the docks into arranged transportation to the embassy. The closer advisors unloaded next, strolling across the quay to the waiting buggies. Finally, the royal family itself disembarked, free after their two week long voyage.

The Marines snapped their muskets to their shoulders and saluted. Cpl. Meggette looked on in awe. The young queen looked absolutely radiant in a white and blue dress. Cpl. Meggette made a concious effort to not stare, as the President approached the royal family.

James wiped his brow a few times. He needed a good impression now. The royal family disembarked from their ship, and he drew a breath. Now or never. He walked down the dock to the family, and faced the young queen.

"Queen Elsa. Welcome to America"

* * *

Kristoff gazed out the window at the Potomac River that rushed by him. He had never felt quite comfortable in Arendelle. No matter what Anna assured him, he had always felt out of place in the royal court, amongst the rich and privileged. But this land was different. This was a land where a mans merit, not his birth, would determine his worth in life. No nobility. No kings or queens. Not that he would ever share these views out loud, of course. Elsa had enough problems with her Kingdom crumbling around her. She didn't need dissension from inside the palace, much less inside her family.

The American envoy had been a great surprise, albeit a welcome one. The invitation to stay two weeks in the White House had been a greater, more welcome surprise. Kristoff was no politician, but he knew that Elsa hoped to get an economic lifeline from the United States. He hadn't seen her so happy since the Thaw.

Everything had changed then. The Weselton trade was supposed to be easy to replace. It hadn't been. The destruction of Arendelle's economy abroad had been coupled with the destruction of their domestic agriculture during the flash freeze. People were starving in the streets of the capital. Elsa had been forced to beg for food at exorbitant prices from her neighbors.

Internally, the Kingdom had schismed after the fall. A large amount of the populace, especially in the mountains, still saw Elsa as responsible for the freeze, and viewed Hans as their saviour. It would have come to civil war, had the faction for Hans' kingship ever been able to find him. The Southern Isles refused to give him up. Elsa had been pleased with what she thought were improving relations, until the Southern Isles severed diplomatic contact. After that, whatever popular support she had withered away in he face of the Pope's excommunication for witchcraft and the Weselton armies massing in the mountain passes.

Externally, she hadn't fared much better. The French, British, Prussians and Austrians were all content to let the region sort itself out in a storm of blood and ice.

In light of this, the American invitation had been a gift from God. Elsa had been as giddy as a schoolgirl, and Kristoff couldn't help but feel happy for her.

"Enjoying the view?" Kristoff started. Anna had this otherworldly ability to sneak up on him whenever she chose, it seemed. "It's an impressive city" Anna stood next to him at the window.

"It's bigger than our home."

"It's a bigger country." Kristoff embraced his wife from behind, nuzzling the crook of her neck. The marriage had been the happiest day of his life. How long ago it seemed now.

"Mmmm. That's true. It was nice of President Polk to put us up in his home." Anna turned her head to give her husband a quick kiss.

"I wonder how Sven is doing. I wish we could have brought him."

Anna giggled. "Don't be silly. Elsa has enough attention from the Americans. She doesn't need any more."

This was true. The crowds that greeted the Queen of Ice at the White House were thronging, waiting to see some of the infamous magic. They had been obliged for a few seconds with a cheap snowball trick before the honor guard took the royal family into their quarters.

Kristoff smiled and placed his hand on Anna's belly. The rumor around the palace was that there was a new heir on the way. Naturally, the royal family hadn't confirmed the rumors, but they had been spread by those in the know...

Anna separated from Kristoff and walked to the door. "I'm going to convey our gratitude to the President and Mrs. Polk. Anything you'd like to add?"

"Ask me in a few days."

Kristoff turned back to the window as his wife left the room.

The view of the Potomac in autumn really was splendid

* * *

Jack Rothscotter pulled the overcoat to himself as he marched through the biting rain to the President's Arms tavern. He entered the sturdy old establishment with a shiver, and hung his coat at the door, careful to retrieve the Colt-Walker revolver from the side pocket. Placing the sidearm in his pocket, he sidled up to the bar, waiting for Jansen to see him.

Jansen was the elderly bartender of the President's Arms. He had been since before the War of 1812, and seemed as old as the tavern itself. In fact, he had opened the saloon, the name a not-so-subtle play on the classic King's Arms name. Jansen quickly spotted his friend Rothscotter, and slid a beer across the bar.

"Jacky Boy! Your friends have been waitin' for ya! Same place as always."

"Much obliged, Jansen" Jack slapped a 20 dollar bill on the table and ascended the stairs to the back room.

When he entered the room, he saw his motley crew of men. All in all, they were about 15, equal parts revolutionary idealists, common soldiers of fortune, and Arendellian expatriates. They called themselves the Brotherhood of the Crocus, and they had one goal: the toppling of the monarchy in Arendelle, the removal of the House af Arendelle from power, and the establishment of a Republic of Arendelle in the old Kingdom.

Rothscotter himself had founded the group. His family was steeped in the tradition of liberty for all, and he was firmly in the "revolutionary idealist" camp. His grandfather had been a Minuteman in Massachusetts, and had faced the British at Lexington and Concord. His father had grown up on the stories of liberty, and had left the family home in 1808 to fight with Napoleon. Now Jack was ready to cement his name in the annals of Rothscotter history, and he had chosen for his target the most obvious symbol of autocratic monarchical power in Europe: the archaic Kingdom of Arendelle.

For the last year, he had gathered to him a small band of men he could trust. He intended to sail to Arendelle and exploit the regency to create chaos. But he had waited too long, and his ship sailed too early. He missed the coronation, and the power void was filled.

Until the Winter Crisis. It had been just what he needed. The Brotherhood sat on the sidelines in Washington and watched Arendelle freeze for four days, and then burn for four months. And now the prey had been delivered unto him.

"Gentlemen" he smiled. "As you all know, her Royal Highness Queen Elsa has arrived in our city."

Jorn, a burly Arendellian, grunted. "What are we doing about it?"

Alexander, a Russian mercenary, spoke up. "We must exercise caution. Exposing the Brotherhood could be a true setback for our cause throughout Europe."

Edward, a bitter, elderly Welsh republican, snapped back. "What do you care? You get paid no matter what we do!"

The other mercenary in the group, a suave Spaniard named Alonso, attempted to defuse the situation. "Calm yourself, Edward. We are all here together, for one purpose."

Jorn spoke back up. "The old man is right. We may all be here, but you lot only care for the money in it!"

Alexander coolly reached for his pistol. "Would you like to make something of it?"

Before Jorn could respond, Jack stepped in the middle of the brewing confrontation. "Gentlemen. Calm yourselves. What we are going to do will be simple, but will engender a lasting response that will topple the unstable situation in Arendelle to a republican revolution. We will show the people of Arendelle that they are not alone. We will show them they have support from their American brothers."

"Gentlemen, we are going to assassinate the Queen of Arendelle."

* * *

Anna snuggled into her husband's sleeping embrace. Times had been hard for the royal family in the past few months, Elsa had been stressed, Kristoff had been confused, and the capital had been in near revolt, but the one thing Anna could count on was being able to bury herself in Kristoff's arms at the end of the day. She closed her eyes to go to sleep.

And there it was again. It sounded like a wounded puppy. Unfortunately, Anna knew exactly what it was. She sat up, rubbed her eyes, put on her nightgown, and left the room. Barefoot, she padded down the hallway until she reached the door at the end of the hall. Another wounded yelp. She sighed, and opened up the door.

The chill wind hit her before she could even close the door. The room was a solid 20 degrees colder than the rest of the White House. She could see her sister laying in a fetal position on the bed. This had been a problem for months. Elsa would have horrific night terrors, and wake up screaming, sweat literally frozen to her skin. No one knew how to stop them, and Anna could only provide whatever emotional support was there to provide.

The red-haired princess sat on the bed and cradled her sister's shivering head in her lap. After ten more minutes, Elsa awoke with another yelp, and broke down in tears. Anna ran her hands through her older sister's hair. "Shhh. Shhh. I'm here. I'm here."

"Anna?" The Queen blinked away her tears and sat up.

"It's alright. You're here with us. What was it this time?"

Elsa hesitated. "We...we were back on the fjord. You were…" Her voice broke as she fought off tears.

"I was frozen?" Anna's voice was gentle. She had plenty of opportunities to learn how to deal with these situations.

"Yes." Her sister's voice was soft. "And...everyone else was there too. All the dignitaries. All the servants. All my subjects. I stood there and they told me about what I had done to them. About how I had destroyed their lives. About how I was a witch, and a curse on Arendelle…" Elsa's voice trembled.

Anna drew her sister into a tight embrace. "It's not real, Elsa. You're not a bad Queen. You're not a bad person, and you're not evil. You're my sister, and you are a great person and a great Queen, and the kindest, warmest person I know."

"Thank you, Anna" Elsa's voice was barely a whisper now, as the room began to warm back up.

"What about Hans?" He had always featured heavily in Elsa's terrors, for obvious reasons.

"He wasn't there. I don't know why not"

"That's good, isn't it?" Anna ran her hand down her sister's braid.

"I suppose" Elsa squeezed out a smile. "Thank you, Anna. I'll see you at breakfast?"

Anna smiled. "You'd better"

* * *

By the time the Queen reached the White House dining room, Anna and Kristoff were already dug into a meal of sausage and eggs. Sarah Polk met her on her way into the room with a curtsy.

"How was your night, Your Majesty?"

"It was fine," the queen lied. "And please, call me Elsa."

"That's good to hear Queen Elsa. Your sister and brother-in-law are already at the table."

"So I see. Thank you, Mrs. Polk." Elsa sat down across from Anna.

"So, we thought you might want some space today. Seeing as you'll be negotiating and all…"

"That's kind of you, Anna. What were you thinking of doing?"

"Well...we were going to take a carriage up to Baltimore!"

"Baltimore?" Elsa wracked her brain for information about Baltimore. "Whatever do you want to go there for?"

"We thought it might be nice to see another big city while we were here. And Richmond is so hot, I hear…"

"Well, I'm not going to tell you no. Have fun."

Anna smiled. 'Come on, Kristy. We should get a carriage."

Kristoff rolled his eyes. "You know I hate it when you call me that."

Anna gave him a quick kiss. "I'm sorry, baby. Let's give my sister some space now."

Kristoff nodded and got up. Before he left, he leaned across the table. "Good luck."

Elsa nodded. "Thank you."

She watched her sister and brother-in-law exit the dining room, and sat back. An aide entered the room. "Your Majesty, the President is ready for you in the Oval Office."

Elsa smiled briefly. "I'll be right there."

She composed herself quickly, and walked to the President's office, repeating the words her father had taught her so long ago.

Conceal, don't feel

Conceal, don't feel

_Conceal, don't feel_

_**CONCEAL, DON'T FEEL**_


	3. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Anna looked around the restaurant. Kristoff hadn't liked her first choice. Too much opulence, he said. She had accepted his choice after some cajoling, and now found herself sitting by herself at a dingy table in a dingy bar on Pratt Street. The owner had distinctively _not_ recognized them, a fact which provided Anna no small degree of disappointment though.

But _damn_, was the food good. Kristoff had been right on that. The server had recommended the crab cakes, a "Bawlmer" specialty. Anna had giggled at his accent, before he noted that hers was even thicker. By the time the food came out, she was famished, and the crab cakes were fresh and delicious. Unfortunately, Kristoff had drank a wee bit too much and excused himself to go to the bathroom. She wondered what Elsa was doing now. Probably securing trade deals the kingdom hadn't seen in decades…

"Hello." A rough voice snapped her out of her daydream. A man had sat down across the table from her. His hood obscured his face, but she could tell he had a scraggly, untrimmed auburn beard. This was too close. She gripped her dinner knife under the table.

"I couldn't help but notice...you're the princess of Arendelle, aren't you?"

She immediately felt silly. This man wasn't a threat. She smiled bashfully. "Perhaps…"

"I thought so. I'm quite the admirer of you and your family. I just wanted to know if you knew where you were going during your time in this country. I'd like to see the public appearances."

Something about the man's raspy voice threw her. He wasn't American, that was for sure. He didn't quite have the accent. But she couldn't place where he was from. He certainly sounded sincere, though…

She slid a piece of paper across the table. "This is the official schedule. Don't share it!"

"Thank you, your grace. I am in your debt." With a quick nod, he was gone. _That was a little odd_. He had seemed nice, though. And she had been so looking forward to someone recognizing her. But she couldn't shake the feeling that she had heard this man before.

* * *

The unknown man smiled as he glanced over the schedule he had acquired from the princess. He was sure her sister would be furious when she learned it was gone. But then, the redhead had never been gifted with extraordinary common sense. Apparently, some people claimed that she had been the one to start the _Vinterkrise_. He didn't buy it though. The sister was clearly the more powerful one.

The names of cities skipped down the list.

_October 7, Baltimore_

_October 8, Party in Georgetown_

_October 9, Meeting with Virginia Farmers' Association, Alexandria_

_October 10, Grand Opening of United States Naval Academy, Annapolis_

_October 11, Free day, Washington_

He went back to the 10th. The new Naval Academy had been Secretary Bancroft's pet project. Everyone would be there on the 10th. The President and the Cabinet had been a given, but it looked like the Snow Queen and her entourage would be attending as well. The man knew the land around Fort Severn well. No matter how many Marines Polk decided to place, they'd be in the open. And the streets of Annapolis were perfect for hiding a lone gunman…

The man ran a hand through his beard. It had been a long three months, and he was so tired. He got up and left the bar before the princess's brute of a husband could return. Rothscotter would pay well for this information, and almost certainly act on it.

The debt would be repaid.

* * *

James looked up as he heard his door open. The young queen had entered the room, radiant as always.

"Your Majesty, please, sit down, and we can begin our talks"

Elsa seated herself. "Thank you President Polk. Please, call me Elsa."

"Your english is very good, Queen Elsa. I can barely tell you're not British!" They both chuckled. "I'm afraid my Arendellian isn't quite up to scratch, so I hope you won't mind if we conduct these talks in my mother tongue."

Elsa smiled sweetly. "Of course, President Polk. You are the host."

"James, if you will. I think we can all be on friendly terms here. Now, I think our first and foremost issue is the food situation. We don't have a fulltime ambassador yet, but my men are telling me that there are riots over food in the heart of your capital."

The queen frowned. "I assure you, President Polk, your men are wrong. The situation is bad, but not untenable."

James sighed. "If these talks are to bear fruit, Queen Elsa, we must be fully honest here. Now, I am prepared to send you back to Arendelle with a flotilla of grain ships, but I must know the situation."

Elsa considered. "Very well. Your men were right. The situation is at a breaking point."

"There's no time to lose then. We'll send you back with ten ships of grain and bread. After this, we'll determine a fair, discounted price for you to purchase further food supplies until you recover from this…"

"_Vinterkrise_"

"Yes. Now, the second thing to talk about is the military capacities of your Kingdom. You are, if I may be frank, woefully undermanned, underfunded, and underequipped."

"It has worked for us to date." The queen kept a straight face. "What would you propose?"

"I'd like to sell you, at a heavy discount of course, 500 crates of Springfield Muskets. They'd be surplus Model 1812's, but they'll be enough to bring your army into the 19th century. I'd also like to send an Expeditionary Force of 500 United States Marines, to be used at your disposal."

Elsa examined the man across the table with suspicion. "You surprise me, President Polk. This deal seems...heavily weighted in my favor. What do you want in return?"

She had caught on. He knew she would. Sharp as a tack, this one. Or sharp as ice, perhaps…

"Well, we'd like to become the primary importer of Arendelle goods. Obviously, some trade deals will be cut."

"That's not it. There's something more you want."

"Well, yes. We are interlocked with the British in a tight negotiation over the Oregon Territory right now. It could flare up badly. I'd like Arendelle's support in the matter."

Elsa narrowed her eyes. "And how exactly do you propose I do this. Use my non-existent military?"

"Put diplomatic pressure on them. Demand the relent. Threaten embargos. And of course, there could be a technically non-military option…"

"What would this be?"

"Well, it would be tragic if, say, the Thames were to freeze over. Especially at the height of shipping season."

Elsa smiled devilishly. "President Polk, you have a deal."


	4. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Jack Rothscotter contained his flaming rage inside of him. Across the room, another shouting match had erupted amongst his little group of conspirators. They couldn't even agree on how to properly proceed with the information they had acquired. Something needed to change.

Rothscotter had received the royal schedule yesterday from a man who used to be in the conspiracy. The man had worked with them for a month, and had never given them a name. They had all just called him "Red", on account of his auburn beard. He sounded Arendellian, but could very well have been a Weseltonian or a Southern Islander. Rothscotter had never been able to tell the damn accents apart.

The yelling reached a height. "You, sir, are a coward! I said it! You're a low, mercenary scumbag, and you're a coward!" Edward couldn't control himself at this point. Tensions between the Welshman and the mercenaries had risen to a head in the past two days. Edward had wanted to set up an immediate ambush in Annapolis, while the mercenaries had wanted to remain cautious and tail the entourage.

Rothscotter had to admit that he sided with Edward. The time for caution was long gone. If freedom was to come to Arendelle, it would come through decisive action, not through waffling and holding back. But the foremost concern now was keeping the Brotherhood together.

Alexander remained cool as his hand snaked down to his belt. "Would you like to repeat those words, you old sheep-lover?"

Edward was practically having an aneurysm. "Sir, you are a damn coward!"

Rothscotter stood up. "That's enough, both of you! We are going to-" Unfortunately for Jack, the time for talk had ended. Alexander's hand was by the wheellock pistol on his belt, and he intended to avenge his honor.

A good gunman can draw, aim and discharge his sidearm without ever breaking gaze with his target. A good mercenary is, of course, a good gunman.

Unfortunately, Alexander Subarov was not a good mercenary.

As the Russian glanced down to grab his gun, the Welshman sprung into action, and buried a hidden stiletto in the back of the man's neck. Alexander choked for a second, before falling to his knees, hacking up blood, and collapsing to the ground where he lay still.

The room was silent, before Rothscotter sprang into action. He grabbed Alonso's hand and wrestled the gun away from him before more blood could be shed. Then he pointed the gun at the homicidal Welshman.

"Get the hell out of here, Edward."

Edward was shocked. "Jack, he was betraying our morals-"

"GET THE HELL OUT! And don't come back here if you value your life!"

Rothscotter laid the gun down as Edward slunk out of the room.

"We move tomorrow. We're going to open the Naval Academy in our own way."

* * *

Anna sat silently in the carriage to Annapolis. Her sister had been upset when she learned about the missing schedule, but she had trusted President Polk to provide for the security, and she trusted the United States to not let her die. Besides, odds were that the schedule had truly gotten into the hands of a monarchy aficionado, and not some crazed, regicidal maniac.

At least that was what Anna prayed. She knew it was stupid now to have given the schedule away, but the man had seemed so _genuine_. She hadn't thought about any bad things happening.

"That's your problem, Anna!" Her sister had yelled. "You don't _think_. We went through this four months ago, and now again here" She had felt as bad as she had when she was freezing to death in her living room in Arendelle. But here it was 50 degrees and sunny…

The carriage came to a halt outside Fort Severn, what would in a few hours time would be the United States Naval Academy. An honor guard of Marines was gathered outside the carriage. Elsa stepped out slowly, her blue dress glittering in the sun. The oversized crowd erupted in cheers. They were there to see the Snow Queen after all. Elsa gave an elaborate bow.

"Magic! Magic! Ice and Snow" The chant came up from the crowd. Elsa smiled and fired off a snow flurry above the raucous crowd.

Anna slipped out of the carriage. Her sister was _so_ charismatic. She had always been reserved, but after the _Vinterkrise_, her personality had practically formed a cult around her in Arendelle. Some said it was the only thing saving the monarchy from certain destruction at the hands of the circling Republicans.

Kristoff walked up behind her. "Everything OK?"

"Yeah. I feel happy for her."

"We all do."

The royal family smiled, and in the crowd, the unknown man smiled back.

The debt would be repaid.

* * *

James Polk was feeling quite pleased with himself.

Everything had gone swimmingly. The ceremony to cut the tape and open the Academy had gone off without a hitch. The Ice Queen, his newest ally, had been a great hit for everyone. Even now, the remnants of her flurry fell over the field that the ceremony had been held in. His mind flew to thoughts of politics. He could practically see the maps being redrawn to fit Oregon into the United States. It was only a given now that Britain would concede, especially with Polk's lightened demands.

And to think there had been rumors of an assassination. The Royal Household had been in disarray for a few days there, but everything had pulled through in the end. The Marines had been just as competent as they always were, and Arendelle would thank them for it. The Queen had been highly impressed by the manner of the unit in the capital, it had been said, and was looking forward to working with the expeditionary force that would accompany her home.

It was time to go back to Washington now. The Royal Family still had a week to stay. He motioned the guard to open the carriage.

Cpl. Meggette stood twenty yards down the street, controlling foot traffic. The bustling crowd made his job difficult, but he and the men around him were consummate professionals. He turned his head to check on his man down the street, and noticed a cloaked man trying to cross the street. This wasn't right.

He blocked the way. "Wait a minute there, sir."

The man looked at him angrily. "I need to cross."

"You can wait your turn with everyone else."

The man tried to push past him. Cpl. Meggette was getting irritated. He shoved the ruffian back into the crowd with his musket, only to have him bounce back and crash into him.

He could feel the blood before anything else. The man had been holding a stiletto. And the man had hit him in the neck….

"Sorry, old chap, but freedom waits for no man."

The last thing Alan Meggette saw was Jack Rothscotter beginning to cross the street.


	5. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

James Polk was ecstatic. Everything had gone _just_ as he planned. The news coverage would be wonderful, and his administration would enjoy levels of popular support unseen since the Jackson days. The Queen was exiting the campus of the Academy now, and they would soon be on a carriage back to Washington.

As soon as he glanced back at the street, he could see there was a problem. No one was supposed to be on the street now. Where was the guard? The cloaked man was walking down the street towards them. President Polk grabbed the Marine next to him and pointed.

*CRACK* *CRACK* *CRACK*

Alonso Galarraga cradled the Colt Repeating Carbine to his cheek. He had obtained the weapon at great personal cost to himself and he loved using it. Perched in a second-story window of a nearby warehouse, he watched the guards closest to the President fall, and the whole street fall into disarray.

The crowds, a second ago eager to bid goodbye to the President and his guest, dispersed screaming from the scene. The Marines were confused at the incoming fire, and struggled to fall into a combat formation as the conspirators all opened fire from the street level.

The Queen was exposed. Galarraga grinned. She had come out too early, and was separated between her guards and the carriage. He lined up the perfect shot and paused. This was Rothscotter's kill. He could wait.

The Queen rushed behind the carriage to the President. She was panicked now. Dear god, it was the fjord all over again. President Polk was sweating as the Marines struggled to gain a foothold against the assailants. Suddenly, a man with a knife dove over the carriage.

*BANG*

Polk instinctively fired his own weapon, hands shaking. He was a lawyer, not a soldier, Goddammit! A Marine dragged away the wounded assassin, as Polk ran through his options. If they stayed, they'd be overpowered. If they ran, they'd be exposed. He only saw one option, and it wasn't good.

He grabbed the Queen and tried to hoist her onto one of the horses. She'd have to forgive him later for the breach of protocol. He grabbed the fallen knife, and sawed through the reins.

"Run!"

Elsa nodded and kicked the horse in the sides as it ripped off down the street. She heard a scream behind her. Anna and Kristoff must have arrived. She hoped they'd be safe, but she needed to go now. A conspirator leapt out in front of her, and she cut him down with a blade of ice. She turned the corner as fast as she could, praying that the danger was over…

* * *

Edward Mathrafal examined his corned beef sandwich. The quiet roadside cafe had only a few people eating as the Welshman dug in. He had followed the Brotherhood to Annapolis, but had been unable to convince Rothscotter to let him participate in the assassination. No matter. It would be over soon enough. He sighed. He had wished he could have been a part of the liberation of Arendelle, but it looked like all that remained was to catch a ship to the Kingdom to fight in the inevitable civil war.

He pulled the wax paper off his sandwich when he heard it.

*CRACK* *CRACK* *CRACK*

He smiled to himself. Even if he wasn't a part of it, he could witness history here today. And maybe he could play a part in it himself. He slowly pulled the grenade out of his pockets and placed it on his lap, playing with the fuse. He would only use it if necessary….

* * *

The unknown man watched the chaos unfold from across the street. He had thought the queen would surely fall a few times, but she had made it to temporary safety. He slowly walked down the side of the street, to mirror the movements of the assassins. The queen had taken a horse now. They were apparently down to their last hope. The unknown man watched the Snow Queen tear down the street and strike an assassin down before rounding a corner.

The debt would be repaid...

* * *

James swore to himself as he and his men raced down the street. When the queen had taken off, his men had managed to start pushing the assassins back. They had finally taken control of the street, and now he prayed that Queen Elsa was still in a safe position. They had worked too hard to let this be thrown away….

* * *

Elsa tore around the corner on her horse. It was clear. The square she was in was a typical Annapolis square, albeit thrown into chaos from the gunfire. Patrons at the nearby cafe ducked underneath their tables, screaming bloody murder, except for one strange man, who appeared to be saluting the queen. As Elsa drove the horse further down the street, something small and round flew into her field of vision and clattered across the cobblestones.

*Clink* *Clink*

Two bounces was all it took for Elsa to recognize what it was, but it was already too late. She attempted a last ditch dive from her horse as the grenade exploded, gutting the animal and throwing her across the cobbles violently. She faded in and out of consciousness, bleeding from various cuts across her face and body, as she saw a man approach. She watched helplessly as Edward Mathrafal drew his caplock and pointed it at the prone queen's head.

"Sic Semper Tyrannis!"

*CRACK*

* * *

When a bullet strikes a human in the head, it can be traveling at a speed of up to 3200 feet per second. It pushes aside skin and tissue, and moves at a speed such as to easily smash bone. When it reached the brain, it moves faster than the tissue can tear, which means it simply pushes the tissue aside before it tears. When the bullet finishes its course, the tunnel it has formed collapses behind it. The area of impact is 10 times the size of the bullet. Death is nearly instantaneous.

Edward Mathrafal never stood a chance.

As the would-be assassin's body fell to the ground, Marines turned the corner to see one man holding a smoking revolver. The unknown man cast the gun to the ground before raising his hands in the face of the muskets of the guard. Two Marines grabbed the man. "Who the hell are you?"

"Ask the princesses. They'll know."

One of the guards pulled off the man's burlap hood, revealing his unkempt, unshaven head of messy auburn hair. Two other guards helped the queen to her feet, as her sister slowly approached the assassin's assassin. She recognized him immediately. It was the man from Baltimore…

"Why would you do this….?"

"You still don't know me, Anna?"

How did he know her…..she studied his face again. The auburn hair, the messy beard, the self-satisfied smirk…..

Oh my God.

"Prince Hans?" Anna was shocked.

The nobleman shook his head. "Just Hans now. My family disowned me after the _Vinterkrise_."

The Queen struggled to her feet. "No. That's impossible. They cut off diplomatic contact with us."

"Well, they didn't like the way I'd been treated. That doesn't mean they approved of my actions."

Kristoff was confused. The last time he had seen this man, he had been trying to kill them. Now…

"What happened?" The Sami stepped in. "Why did you save Elsa?"

"I came to America when I was disowned. I was bent on revenge, and I joined up with these unfortunate men. After a while though, I realized I had to let it go. I had been beaten. And more than that, I owed you all a debt. A debt I hoped to repay here."

Elsa regained her own voice. "Well, you have. Thank you…..Hans"

Anna nodded. "You should come back to Aren-"

The Islander cut her off. "No. It would open old wounds that need time to heal."

"If I may say something…" The President of the United States cut in. "I don't know the history between you all as much as I should. But what I do know is that this man deserves a reward of this service. So if you don't want to go back to Arendelle, Mr. Hans, perhaps you would consider staying in America. We could find a place for you in my administration."

The ex-prince smiled. "Thank you, President Polk. That is most kind of you."

The President smiled back. The sun had come back out, and the threat had ended. "Well, they do call us the Land of Opportunity"


	6. Epilogue

EPILOGUE

Elsa exited the carriage and crossed the street to the American Embassy in Arendelle. The gate guards smiled and waved her in, as her own diplomats went to meet with their American counterparts. The Queen smiled as she met the secretary in the front.

"Is the ambassador in?"

"He is, Your Grace. He should be right in his office."

Elsa thanked her and strode down the hallway purposefully, her reserved dress trailing behind her. The door creaked as it opened-the Embassy was in need of some maintenance-but she entered the room and greeted the now-clean man standing behind the desk.

"Ambassador Hans. Thank you for agreeing to see me."

"Not a problem, Your Grace. I can always make time. What was it you wanted to talk about?"

Elsa sat down. "I just wanted to give President Polk the latest information. The grain transports have worked wonders. The riots have stopped, and people are beginning to trust us again."

"That's wonderful, Queen Elsa, but what about Weselton? Have the passes been closed?"

Elsa paused. "The Duke has still frozen communications, but the level of sabre-rattling coming from Weselton has dropped significantly since our forces were refitted. And, of course, the contributions made by the Expeditionary Force cannot be understated."

"That's good to hear. Both I and the President have full confidence that Arendelle can recover from these dark days. The President would also like to tell you that your aid in the Oregon boundary dispute was invaluable. The British have signed a treaty establishing the border at the 49th parallel; better than anyone thought we would get without war."

The Ice Queen nodded. "Is there truly nothing else I can do? America has given us so much help, and I wish there was a better way to repay them."

Hans thought about it. "Well, there appears to be trouble brewing in the south. The Mexicans have crossed the Rio Grande and attacked Seth Thornton's men. War seems inevitable."

Elsa smiled. "We'll see what we can do."

LINE BREAK

From the top of an inn in the capital of Arendelle, a man gazed at the palace. The den of injustice and iniquity, as he saw it. He thought back to Annapolis. He had been so close, but he hadn't been caught. They had all been too distracted, and he had slipped away unnoticed. He had managed to catch a ride back to Arendelle on one of the monarchy's own grain ships.

He was alone. The Brotherhood of the Crocus had been dissolved. His dream seemed crushed in the mud. But Jack Rothscotter was alive, and he would have his revenge.

LINE BREAK

SEPTEMBER 7, 1847, CHAPULTEPEC CASTLE, MEXICO

Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna sat in his candle-lit study, poring over the latest reports of American troop movements. The war had been going terribly for the Mexicans, but the old general held out hope. Even after the disaster in Texas, the government had given him control of the army in Ciudád de Mexico, and he intended to defend the city to the last man.

He could do it, too. He had a well-fortified position in the old Spanish palace, and his local strength was about that of the Americans. The shelling had already begun, but the Americans would have to attack soon, and he would be ready.

He rubbed his cork leg. He had suffered enough indignities at the hands of the Americans, or their lackeys in Texas. Now he would pay back the loan, with interest. As he pondered the situation, and aide rushed in.

"General Santa Anna! The Americans have stopped the shelling. They are approaching the castle!"

Santa Anna smiled. "Good. We will stand and fight. What is the status of the American soldiers?"

The aide looked slightly puzzled. "Sir, we have noticed something unusual about them. They _appear_ to be….wearing winter uniforms."

"What?!" Santa Anna rushed to the top of the castle. It was true. The Americans were advancing towards Chapultepec in line, wearing furs and thick coats.

Santa Anna was mystified. "Is Scott _trying_ to lose this battle? His men will all sweat to death before they are within range!"

Before he could say another word, something caught his eye. A figure in light blue stood near the American camp, arms outstretched. As he struggled to identify the figure, he remembered headlines from recent newspapers. And who the Americans had allied with…

"No. No, no, no! Get the men to the fires!" Santa Anna was panicked. A lieutenant approached.

"Sir, the men report dropping temperatures on the wall!"

Santa Anna gazed up at the sky as the first flakes began to form.

And for the first time in forever, snow fell in Central Mexico.


End file.
